Rendering Professional Cut-Out Backgrounds (COBs)

Step 1- Open the image to cut out.  You will want to work with as large an image as possible.

Step 2- Select the Magnetic Lasso Toll from the tool bar.  Use this tool to make a quick selection around your subject.  It won't be perfect but it will do the 'heavy lifting' for you.

HINTS:  Use the mouse button to click where you want a marker.  The delete button removes the last marker.  ESC lets you start completely over.  Double Click when you are ready to close your selection.

Step 3- Create a Quick MASK (Q) which floods the unwanted areas with a red mask.  Everything that is red will be removed.  Everything that is normal will remain.

Step 4- Make a perfect mask by slowly going around the image, painting red on areas you want to remove and erasing red from areas you want to keep.

HINTS- Use the HAND TOOL (H) to move around the picture.  The PAINT BRUSH (B) adds red. Make sure your brush type is a small hard tip.  You can grow and shrink it to fit the space you are filling.
ERASE (E) removes the red mask.  Again, adjust the tip of the eraser to fit the spot you are getting rid of.

Step 5- Once the Quick Mask is PERFECT, deselect the QUICKMASK (Q) and now your subject is selected (surrounded by marking ants).
Follow these steps-
<COM> + X    To CUT THE SUBJECT.
<COM> + N    To OPEN NEW DOCUMENT.  Don't worry about the size.  Photoshop is smart.  It will automatically make this new document the right size for your COB.
<COM> + V   To PASTE  the selection.

Step 6-  Delete the BACKGROUND LAYER so that you only have your COB subject and a checkered background.  Now save the image as a TIFF.  MAKE SURE YOU SELECT SAVE TRANSPARENCY on the Tiff options box.

Step 7- Show your completed COB to your EDITOR for approval.

Now upload the image to the right folder on Yearbook Avenue and we are ready to go.